Wild hogs plowing through Clermont neighborhood

CLERMONT, Fla. - A wild hog problem is causing a nuisance in a Clermont neighborhood. 

For the last two years, the animals have been pushed out of their habitat by new development and into the Magnolia Bay community. The residents are doing everything they can to keep the pigs out.

"You don’t want to see them. Bears are cute. Pigs, no," said Joe Stokes.

The grass on Joe Stokes's property has been ripped up and tossed around by some wild hogs. About 25 yards of his front lawn were destroyed by their snouts in search of food.

This incident happened around Christmas when he spotted two adults and four piglets on his home security camera.

"I can’t say that I was surprised because it’s been happening kind of often, but it kind of stinks that it’s your lawn," said David Miller.

Stokes’s neighbor David Miller said the hogs have been a problem for the last couple of years and in recent months have become more active.

"We saw three adults and four or five piglets right up by the front gate, and they just snuck right into these woods back here, and I just thought to myself it’s only a matter of time and here we are," said Miller.

Neighbors claim the hogs started to show up when nearby woods were cleared for home development.  The Magnolia Bay community HOA has been working closely with the development to come up with a solution. The HOA even hired trappers.

"You wouldn’t think that there’s a lot of hogs in a lot of places, but there’s a lot of hogs everywhere," said Gavin Dasher.

Gavin Dasher of A limb Above Tree Services also traps hogs. He came out to the property about four or five times and captured at least 11 hogs. While that stopped the hogs for a few months, he believes they will be back.

"If he was there before he’s going to go back to that spot because there is something to eat," said Dasher.

Dasher says when they capture hogs they bring them to a hunting ground or donate them to people to eat.

As for Magnolia Bay, the HOA is close to acquiring a permit to build a fence around the property which the Florida Fish ad Wildlife Conservation Commission agrees is the best way to keep out the invasive beasts.  The homeowners said they will fix their lawn once they are sure the hogs won’t be coming back.

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